The CEO Project Podcast

Effective exit planning prepares you for more than the transaction by protecting your financial future, personal identity, and sense of purpose after the business is sold.

In this episode of The CEO Project Podcast, host Jim Schleckser speaks with Nate Collins, a former CEO, financial advisor, and Certified Exit Planning Advisor who successfully sold his family business to a private equity-backed media company.

Although the sale exceeded expectations financially, Nate explains why he did not initially consider it a successful exit. He shares the mistakes he made before and after the transaction, from assembling the wrong advisory team to failing to prepare for the emotional realities of no longer owning the company.

You'll learn how to:

• Assemble experienced legal, financial, tax, and M&A advisors • Begin planning early enough to identify tax-saving opportunities • Define success using personal, professional, and financial goals • Build a financial plan before negotiating the transaction • Prepare for the loss of identity, purpose, community, and authority that can follow a sale • Evaluate the risks associated with earn-outs • Create a meaningful next chapter before leaving the company • Strengthen the business so it is prepared for a planned or unexpected transition

Nate also explains why strong exit planning should focus on purpose, community, and health in addition to valuation. A profitable transaction alone does not guarantee that the owner will feel secure, fulfilled, or ready for what comes next.

Listen to learn how exit planning can help you build a more valuable company, avoid costly mistakes, and move into your next chapter with greater financial clarity and personal confidence.

Check out:

5:42: Why a profitable business sale is not always a successful exit

17:36: The emotional consequences of selling a company without preparing for life afterward

27:48: Why earn-outs can limit an owner's control, flexibility, and ability to move forward

About Nate Collins

Nate is a former CEO who managed a successful exit to a large, PE-backed media company. He now works with a limited number of business owners, CEOs, and their families to help ensure they are achieving their financial goals. As a Financial Advisor and Certified Exit Planning Advisor, he provides in-depth business exit and financial planning, as well as investment management. Nate helps owners optimize their businesses' value and transition into the next chapter.

Elevating humanity through business starts with creating value for employees, customers, communities, and owners rather than treating profit as the only measure of success.

In this episode of The CEO Project Podcast, host Jim Schleckser speaks with Dan Simons, co-owner of Founding Farmers Restaurant Group, about building a profitable, mission-driven business in one of the most demanding industries.

Dan shares how Founding Farmers grew from a partnership with North Dakota family farmers into a group of sustainably operated restaurants, a distillery, and a catering company. He also explains why supporting employees through difficult moments is not separate from business performance but an essential part of achieving it.

You'll learn how to:

• Build a people-first culture without sacrificing profitability • Turn employee support into greater loyalty and lower turnover • Create clear development paths that help employees advance • Use failure as preparation for future opportunities • Support family farmers through responsible sourcing • Adapt training and advancement for a changing workforce • Balance fair wages with the economic realities of running a business • Practice conscious capitalism by considering every stakeholder

Dan also shares why elevating humanity is not simply an idealistic mission. When employees feel supported, valued, and equipped to succeed, they create more value for themselves, their customers, and the company.

Listen to discover how thoughtful leadership, employee investment, and conscious capitalism can turn business into a force for elevating humanity while still delivering sustainable growth and strong financial performance.

Check out:

8:52: How a partnership with North Dakota family farmers led to Founding Farmers

15:48: Why investing in employees creates loyalty, lowers turnover, and improves performance

28:36: How conscious capitalism can make business a force for elevating humanity

About Dan SImons

Dan Simons is regarded as a leading voice in mission-driven business practices, known for championing people-centric culture and responsible industry standards while developing systems that deliver profitability. He and his partner, Michael Vucurevich, are Co-Owners of Founding Farmers Restaurant Group in partnership with the North Dakota Farmers Union. Their goal is to generate profits for American family farmers, earn farmers a larger share of the food dollar, and influence the sourcing decisions of suppliers and others in the hospitality industry. They operate eight sustainably run restaurants, one DC-based distillery, and a full-service catering and event design company. He teaches courses at The George Washington University, hosts a podcast (Founding DC), and sits on the advisory boards of the DC chapter of Conscious Capitalism, OpenTable, and the Health Action Alliance Women's Health at Work Program. He blogs at www.DanSimonsSays.com and can be found across most social channels @DanSimonsSays.

Dan Simons is Co-Owner of Founding Farmers Restaurant Group, which operates eight sustainably run restaurants, one DC-based distillery, and a full-service catering and event design company. A leading advocate for mission-driven business, he champions people-first culture and responsible industry standards while driving profitability.

Working Genius helps leaders understand the work that gives people energy, the work that drains them, and how to build more effective teams around those differences.

In this episode of The CEO Project Podcast, host Jim Schleckser speaks with Patrick Lencioni, bestselling author, leadership expert, and founder of The Table Group.

Patrick explains the six types of Working Genius and how each contributes to moving an idea from its earliest stage through successful execution. He also discusses vulnerability, team dynamics, CEO burnout, and why leaders should stop trying to excel at every kind of work.

You'll learn how to:

• Identify the work that energizes you and the work that creates frustration • Understand the six geniuses of Wonder, Invention, Discernment, Galvanizing, Enablement, and Tenacity • Build a leadership team that fills critical gaps rather than replicating your strengths • Match the right people to the right roles • Structure meetings around the type of work that needs to happen • Prevent one person's strengths from disrupting the team's progress • Use vulnerability to create greater trust and collaboration • Examine whether your motivation for leadership is service or personal reward

Patrick also explains how Working Genius complements his other leadership models by helping CEOs get the right people on the bus, place them in the right seats, and then build a cohesive team.

Listen to discover how Working Genius can help you reduce frustration, prevent burnout, improve teamwork, and ensure that every stage of the work receives the energy and talent it needs.

Listeners can also receive 20% off the Working Genius assessment at workinggenius.com by using the discount code CEO.

Check out:

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9:12: How Patrick Lencioni developed the Working Genius model

12:46: The six types of Working Genius and how they move work from idea to completion

21:18: How CEOs can use Working Genius to build more balanced leadership teams

_:empty]:hidden"> About Patrick Lencioni

Patrick Lencioni is the pioneer of the organizational health movement and one of the world's foremost experts on leadership and teamwork. As an author, speaker, consultant, and CEO of The Table Group, Pat has spent the last 25 years shaping the organizational health movement by helping leaders develop cohesive teams and engaged employees.

With his signature mix of inspiration, humor, storytelling, and no-nonsense practicality, Pat has spoken to millions of leaders at national and global conferences and is consistently the top-rated keynote speaker at major events. Whether he's addressing Fortune 500 companies, professional sports organizations, government agencies, non-profits, schools, or churches, Pat's down-to-earth nature and insightful concepts are sure to resonate.

The world's foremost expert on organizational health and teamwork, Patrick's books have sold more than 6 million copies, and his work has been featured in Fortune, USA TODAY, Bloomberg Businessweek, Forbes, and Harvard Business Review, to name a few.

Soft leadership styles can help CEOs build trust, increase accountability, and create healthier teams without sacrificing performance.

In this episode of The CEO Project Podcast, host Jim Schleckser speaks with visionary entrepreneur, inventor, and movement leader Staci Wright about how workplace expectations are changing and why traditional leadership models are struggling to keep up.

Staci explains how trust, collaboration, emotional intelligence, and psychological safety can replace rigid command-and-control leadership. She also discusses why compassionate leadership must still include clear expectations, honest feedback, and accountability.

You'll learn how to:

• Build trust without abandoning performance standards • Create psychological safety while maintaining accountability • Recognize how stress affects decision-making and productivity • Support employee wellbeing without becoming responsible for employees' personal lives • Address a struggling or toxic workplace culture • Measure cultural progress through retention, feedback, and employee behavior • Use soft leadership styles to create healthier, more resilient teams

Staci also introduces a new way to think about organizational structure. Instead of placing leaders at the top of a pyramid, she describes them as the roots of a tree, creating the conditions employees need to thrive and the business needs to produce results.

If your team is experiencing burnout, turnover, distrust, or declining performance, the answer may require more than another employee benefit or team-building exercise. Listen to this conversation to learn how soft leadership styles can help you build a culture where people feel supported, accept accountability, and perform at their best.

Check out:

6:35: Why adding compassion to an old command-and-control model can cause performance to decline

11:48: How leaders can create psychological safety while maintaining accountability

23:42: Three steps for repairing a stressed or toxic workplace culture

About Staci Wright

Staci Wright is a visionary entrepreneur, inventor, and movement leader whose work centers on social impact and the power of business to create meaningful change. With over 20 years of experience, she has founded multiple companies, secured 28 patents, and led ventures that blend innovation, humanity, and purpose.

Across all of her work, the common thread is a commitment to building businesses that serve people, strengthen communities, and support inner and collective transformation. Known for her heart-led leadership and systems-level thinking, Staci believes business can—and must—be a force for healing, sustainability, and hope.

In this episode of The CEO Project Podcast, host Jim Schleckser speaks with fractional CMO, global keynote speaker, and bestselling author Alison Michaels about building a marketing ecosystem that is aligned, strategic, and scalable.

Alison explains why strong marketing starts with more than ads or social media. It requires a clear brand story, a high-performing website, consistent messaging, the right channels, and a customer experience designed around the audience you want to reach. She also shares why many companies struggle when agencies focus on execution without fully understanding the business's revenue drivers.

You'll learn how to:

• Build a connected marketing ecosystem instead of relying on isolated tactics
• Develop an authentic brand story that resonates with the right customers
• Decide which marketing channels deserve your time and investment
• Use people, customer stories, and video to make your brand more relatable
• Simplify your marketing so you can measure what is actually working
• Align marketing investments with leads, revenue, and long-term growth
• Recognize when fractional marketing leadership may be the right fit

Alison also explains why "good enough" marketing rarely supports a company's next stage of growth and how elevating your messaging, imagery, customer experience, and overall brand can help attract more discerning, higher-value buyers.

If your marketing feels fragmented, difficult to measure, or disconnected from revenue, this conversation will help you identify the gaps. Listen now to learn how a stronger marketing ecosystem and a more authentic brand story can give your company a clearer voice, attract the right audience, and support scalable growth.

Check out:

6:42 – Why your website is the foundation of a scalable marketing ecosystem

13:18 – How an authentic brand story helps companies connect with the right customers

20:47 – Why simplifying your marketing makes it easier to measure results

About Allison Michels

Allison Michels is a Fractional Chief Marketing Officer, global keynote speaker, and 6x bestselling author with 15+ years of experience advising CEOs, founders, and senior leaders across for-profit and nonprofit sectors. Her specialty is building marketing ecosystems that are aligned, strategic, and scalable — helping organizations clarify their voice, attract the right audiences, and launch initiatives that move the needle. A certified John Maxwell trainer, Allison has delivered content for global audiences as large as 20,000, worked alongside John Maxwell on transformational leadership in Paraguay, and built a podcast and conference series that have reached over 100 countries. She is the founder of LAUNCH, a strategic marketing practice helping high-achieving leaders create clarity and increase revenue.

What really happens inside a CEO peer group meeting? In this episode, Jim Schleckser and Julie Walker share real-world CEO peer-group case studies involving multimillion-dollar decisions, organizational changes, acquisitions, succession planning, board expectations, and growth strategies.

These confidential examples reveal the complex issues facing CEOs of companies with revenue ranging from hundreds of millions to more than a billion dollars. Jim and Julie explore how CEOs use advice from experienced peers to challenge assumptions, reframe problems, and uncover risks they may not recognize on their own.

Hear how CEOs worked through decisions such as whether to divest an underperforming business unit, pursue a first acquisition, introduce an e-commerce channel without alienating dealers, restructure a leadership team, and reset expectations with a board. These CEO peer group case studies demonstrate how external perspectives can help leaders make better decisions and avoid costly mistakes.

Listen to the full episode for an inside look at the conversations that take place within a CEO peer group and the practical lessons you can apply to your own leadership decisions.

Check out:

9:35 | Preparing for a First Acquisition Why even a well-planned acquisition can disrupt the core business and why a dedicated integration team matters.

17:50 | Managing a Board Through Strategic Change How CEOs can protect their credibility by setting realistic expectations and becoming the hero at results time, not budget time.

24:35 | When a New CEO Inherits Unexpected Problems Why new CEOs should surface bad news early, reset expectations and address every hidden issue before building forward.

Julie Walker, THE CEO PROJECT

Prior to joining The CEO Project, Julie Walker was CEO of Shopper Events, a $300 million marketing agency with operations in US and Canada supporting Walmart, Sam's Club, and more than 600 CPG clients. She led the business through several transitions, including the merger of three companies into one; portfolio expansion, explosive growth, and first-ever price increase on the largest division; introduction of adult beverage and fresh production services supported by an expanded compliance department; investment in technology to automate consistent service and accountability across multi-unit operations; divestiture of a division to one of the two company owners; and loss of contract and office shutdown on smallest division.

Julie also has extensive experience working for Procter & Gamble. Over 24 years, she held various executive positions with functional expertise in brand management, shopper marketing, and customer business development before retiring to diversify her experience and move into the service sector. She's an inspirational leader with a passion for innovation, inclusive cultures, and executive courage.

What if your workload isn't actually the reason you're overwhelmed? The real problem may be your thought load.

CEOs can spend an entire day moving from meeting to meeting, making decisions, switching between priorities, and managing other people's problems, yet still wonder what they actually accomplished. In this episode, Jim Schleckser talks with teamwork expert and author Liane Davey about thought load, the invisible combination of cognitive demands, emotional burdens, and depleted energy that's quietly undermining leadership performance.

By listening to this episode, you'll learn how to:

• Recognize the difference between workload and thought load and identify what's actually draining your capacity.
• Reduce unnecessary meetings, distractions, decision fatigue, and emotional burdens that prevent you from focusing on your most important work.
• Use a practical framework to decide what to delete, delay, distribute, or diminish so you can spend more time where you provide unique value as a CEO.

Listen now to learn how to manage your thought load, reclaim your attention and energy, and create the space you and your team need to do your best work.

05:35 | It's Not Your Workload. It's Your Thought Load. Liane Davey breaks down the concept of thought load and its three components: cognitive demands, emotional burdens, and depleted energy reserves. She explains why leaders can feel completely overwhelmed even when workload itself isn't the real problem.

19:40 | Shrink Your Teams and Strengthen Your Communities Liane explains how oversized teams, endless meetings, and cross-functional complexity increase thought load. Her solution challenges leaders to create smaller core teams while building stronger communities around them for support and expertise.

38:45 | Four Questions to Get Your Time Back One of the most actionable parts of the episode: Liane shares a four-question triage framework for CEOs. Is it important? Is it urgent? Is it uniquely you? Is all of it essential? The answers help leaders decide what to delete, delay, distribute, or diminish.

About Liane Davey

Liane has spent more than 25 years researching and advising teams on how to perform at their best. Known as the "teamwork doctor," she works with teams from the frontlines to the boardroom, across industries and around the world, from Boston to Bangkok. Through her work with hundreds of teams, including 26 Global Fortune 500 companies (and counting), she has developed a practical, research-backed approach to solving the challenges that prevent teams from working effectively together.

Liane is a New York Times bestselling author of You First: Inspire Your Team to Grow Up, Get Along, and Get Stuff Done and The Good Fight: Use Productive Conflict to Get Your Team and Organization Back on Track. She is a regular contributor to Harvard Business Review and a sought-after expert for media outlets including CNN, NPR, USA Today, The Globe & Mail, and Forbes. Her work focuses on increasing productivity, strengthening engagement, developing leaders, and helping teams navigate conflict in healthier, more effective ways.

The next big innovation in the grocery industry isn't happening inside the store. It's changing how families shop before they ever walk through the door.

The grocery industry has experienced rising prices, dynamic pricing, and changing consumer behavior, leaving many families searching for better ways to stretch their budgets. In this episode, Jim Schleckser talks with entrepreneur Andy Ellwood, founder of Stretch, about using AI and technology to bring greater transparency to grocery shopping while sharing lessons from building and scaling multiple successful startups.

By listening to this episode, you'll learn how to:

• Discover how technology is reshaping the grocery industry by helping consumers make smarter purchasing decisions.
• Learn why the best startup ideas begin with solving real customer problems instead of chasing technology trends.
• Hear Andy's philosophy of "Make Room for Many" and how an abundance mindset can help entrepreneurs build stronger businesses and lasting communities.

Listen now to hear how innovation in the grocery industry is creating new opportunities for consumers and entrepreneurs, while learning practical lessons about AI, startup growth, and building businesses that solve meaningful problems.

Check out:

03:50 | Bringing Transparency to the Grocery Industry

Andy Ellwood explains how rising prices and dynamic pricing in the grocery industry inspired him to build Stretch, an AI-powered platform that helps families compare grocery prices across multiple retailers before they shop.

16:20 | AI Show and Tell: A Simple Idea Every CEO Should Copy

Andy shares how his team holds a weekly AI Show and Tell session where employees demonstrate new AI use cases they've discovered. It's a simple practice that accelerates learning, sparks collaboration, and builds an AI-first culture.

22:45 | The Power of "Make Room for Many"

Andy discusses his leadership philosophy of abundance over scarcity, explaining why helping others succeed has been one of the biggest drivers of his entrepreneurial journey and long-term success.

About Andy Ellwood

Andy Ellwood is the founder of Stretch, a new AI platform reimagining how families navigate the grocery aisle. A serial entrepreneur behind companies acquired by Facebook and Google, Andy has built everything from global learning communities to purpose-driven tech startups. His philosophy—Make Room For Many—guides his work as he uses technology to create more access, clarity, and opportunity for everyday consumers.

Most AI deployment initiatives don't fail because of the technology. They fail because CEOs start in the wrong place.

AI is transforming business, but buying the latest tool won't create better results on its own. In this episode, Jim Schleckser talks with Christa Hill, Chief AI Learning Officer at Learnit, about why successful AI deployment begins with solving real business problems, preparing your team, and building the right mindset before choosing a single platform.

By listening to this episode, you'll learn how to:

• Discover why successful AI deployment starts with identifying business challenges instead of chasing the newest AI tools.
• Learn how to prepare your organization for AI by improving workflows, training employees, and creating sustainable adoption.
• Understand the common mistakes CEOs make during AI deployment and how to avoid wasted investments while achieving meaningful business results.

Listen now to learn the AI deployment strategies that help organizations move beyond the hype, solve real business problems, and build a competitive advantage with AI.

Check out:

05:15 | Stop Chasing AI Tools and Start Solving Business Problems

Christa Hill explains why successful AI deployment doesn't begin with the latest software. It starts by identifying the biggest challenges in your business and letting those problems determine which AI solutions you actually need.

19:45 | Why Most AI Deployments Fail Before They Begin

One of the episode's biggest insights is that organizations often automate broken processes. Christa explains why mapping and improving workflows before introducing AI dramatically increases the chances of a successful AI deployment.

40:30 | Building an AI-Ready Workforce

As AI reshapes the workplace, Christa shares how CEOs should think about hiring, training, and developing employees who can use AI as a thinking partner rather than simply another software tool.

About Christa Hill

Christa Hill helps serious leaders think, decide, and lead well in an AI-shaped world. She is the Chief AI Learning Officer at Learnit, where she leads the design of AI education delivered to organizations across North America, and the CEO of Tacit Edge North America, where she builds AI literacy programs for CEOs, executives, boards, and the operators who run their companies. A product leader and educator with more than 20 years across banking and tech, Christa has educated thousands of professionals and is the author and facilitator of more than 20 programs delivered around the world. Her work centers on a simple conviction: AI leadership is not about tools; it is about judgment, and the leaders who build that judgment now will set the pace for everyone else. Christa will take the stage as keynote speaker at The CEO Project Summit in Dallas in February.

The biggest breakthrough in your business may not come from your next idea. It may come from the other entrepreneurs you surround yourself with.

Building a successful business is about far more than selling a great product. It's about learning from setbacks, creating a strong company culture, and finding people who challenge you to become a better leader. In this episode, Jim Schleckser sits down with Nick Breedlove, founder and CEO of NVB Playgrounds, to discuss the lessons he's learned growing a niche business into a national company and why other entrepreneurs played a critical role in his growth.

By listening to this episode, you'll learn how to:

• Discover why building relationships with other entrepreneurs can help you avoid costly mistakes and accelerate your growth.
• Learn how strong company values create better teams, better decisions, and a healthier culture.
• Hear practical lessons on scaling a business, overcoming major setbacks, and letting go of the need to control everything yourself.

Listen now to hear Nick Breedlove's entrepreneurial journey and learn why surrounding yourself with other entrepreneurs may be one of the smartest investments you can make as a business leader.

Check out:

22:15 | The Entrepreneurial Mistake That Cost $3 Million

Nick shares the painful story of a leadership breakdown that resulted in a multi-million-dollar lawsuit and explains how it completely changed the way he hires, builds culture, and manages his company.

28:30 | Why Values Matter More Than You Think

After years of rapid growth, Nick realized that company values aren't just words on a wall. He explains how clearly defined values became the foundation for building a stronger team and a healthier business.

32:45 | Why Every CEO Needs Other Entrepreneurs

One of the episode's biggest takeaways comes when Nick reflects on the importance of surrounding yourself with other entrepreneurs. He explains how having peers who have faced similar challenges can help you avoid costly mistakes, make better decisions, and grow faster.

About Nicolas Breedlove

NIC BREEDLOVE is a visionary entrepreneur and the CEO of NVB Playgrounds, a company dedicated to creating safe, engaging, and inclusive play spaces that bring communities together. With over a decade of experience in the playground industry, Nic has revolutionized how schools, parks, and organizations approach play design by offering innovative solutions that combine creativity, safety, and durability. Under Nic's leadership,

NVB Playgrounds has become a trusted partner for clients across the country, helping them navigate the challenges of planning, budgeting, and building exceptional play areas. Nic is a sought-after speaker and storyteller who shares insights on leadership, entrepreneurship, and the power of play. When he's not leading his team, Nic enjoys exploring the outdoors, creating impactful content, and connecting with audiences to inspire growth and innovation